Opera Scotland

Aïda 1992Scottish Opera

At this period, Scottish Opera generally mounted nine main-stage operas each season, in groups of three. If funds allowed, there would be a small-scale production as well. For the 1991/92 season, the piano-accompanied tour, with 33 performances through the autumn, was of Maria Stuarda. The main stage schedule began at the Edinburgh Festival with a new production of La Clemenza di Tito. There were two more new stagings - Die Walküre and Don Giovanni. The six revivals were Madam Butterfly, Carmen, La traviata, Billy Budd, The Marriage of Figaro and Aïda.

The only revival of Gilbert Deflo's enjoyable staging from 1987 had a more consistent cast than before, still led by Mauceri's beautiful account of the score. Sally Burgess was a wonderfully incisive Amneris, and Stefano Algieri a trenchant and dramatically involved Radamès.

One experiment not pursued in future seasons was to give a single concert performance during the run, since the Eden Court at Inverness lacked the audience capacity and technical equipment to permit a full staging. This is a practice which could usefully have been extended to other centres unable to take the full company.